Rain
by QueenofRhymes
Summary: Sam left his team for reasons unkown to anyone but himsef. Peter said he accepted his decision and so did the others. That was why one day he just disappeared. But now he is back. Despite that, questions such as these as still left unanswered: Why did Sam leave? What happened between him and Peter? What will happen when their paths cross again? Read to find out.
1. Chapter 1

_Rain_

Sam Alexander sat on the bar stool reflecting on his past and asking himself the same question the answer for which he'd been searching for the past few years. How had this happened? Of course, he wasn't going to find the answer in alcohol but as pitiful as it may seem that was all he had left. He had no family, no team, and no friends. And whose fault it was you may ask? The answer is mainly his perhaps. After all, if he hadn't done all those things, then maybe now he would not be such a mess right now.

Sam groaned as he drank another bottle of whiskey and waited for it to start doing its job. Apparently there was no difference in his current and previous condition. And Sam could not suppress the agonizing moan that escaped his lips. He could not believe it. After so much drinking nothing had changed. He had been waiting and waiting for the all too familiar but now distant fog to cloud his mind; desperately called for the drowsiness and dizziness to come; miserably craved for those few minutes of pure bliss when he forgot about everything and everyone.

He would gladly welcome anything that would grant him that simple wish because now that was all he wanted, all he needed. Alas, just like everything else in his life tonight's attempts to accomplish something turned out to be a complete failure.

Just as more negative thoughts were going to drown his mind, he quickly gulped down the remnants of his drink and sighed. It wasn't much but it was enough. It would have to do for now. He then got up and exited the bar, having left enough money to cover the bill, of course.

He gritted his teeth and an angry scowl formed on his face as the cold night air hit him with full force and did the one thing he despised – it sobered him up. Now with a clear mind he drifted back to the happy days when he was still part of a team. He remembered how annoying yet helpful Danny could be; how fun it was when the brunet had managed to come up with a comeback and leave Ava speechless; how tiring yet satisfying were the times when he trained with Luke and how close they had got with time. And finally his memories reached the sacred place where moments with his first love lay scattered about. His mind drifted back to the last member of his former team, his leader, Peter Parker, who was probably one of the most inspirational people he would ever meet.

The green-eyed man recalled all the times the two of them had played pranks on one another but had also succeeded in putting their differences aside in order to get the job done. He remembered how happy he had been then; remembered the way Peter had made him feel. Sam remembered every last detail of said person's behavior. For example, how cute he would look whenever the brunet had managed to pull a prank on him; how utterly adorable Peter appeared when he was embarrassed or at a loss for words (if the situation was comical, of course).

The dark-haired man frantically shook his head trying to get rid of these unneeded thoughts. He hated himself for going back there and letting his heart exposed to the pain for the hundredth time. He convinced himself that this was all in the past and that was where it belonged to. After all, he had made his decision. Sam had chosen what he had thought then was for the best and now he had to face the consequences of his actions.

Once he was satisfied that he was not going to risk drowning in self-pity yet again he decided to walk through the park on his way home. The night sky had no stars and the moon could barely be seen. Sam's forest green eyes searched for shadows or any possible threats. Once he had made sure no one was going to harm him he let his mind wander. A slight mocking laugh disturbed the silence of the night. Even after all these years his instincts still had not left him.

Sam's mind then reflected on his past and the twenty-five-year-old man could not help but sigh as he came to the same conclusion yet again. He was the one to blame. After all, life's what you make it as a proverb says, meaning that he could not and most of all should not put the blame on someone else for his own reckless decisions. Because that was all there was to his past – his own decisions, his own choices, his own actions, his own hidden feelings, and his own fear. No one else was responsible for his current situation in life but him, and Sam knew there was no use in denying it.

The brunet snapped out of his thoughts as he heard someone or rather something move in the bushes. His green eyes narrowed and he gritted his teeth. With or without his powers he could still put up a fight if needed. The dark-haired man clenched his fists and adopted a fighting stance. His sharp gaze followed every change in the scenery before him. His ears listened if any unusual sound was emitted. His mind was wide awake and alert. More shuffling followed and Sam tensed up. What if it was not just a regular burglar or mugger? What if it was someone or rather **something **else hiding in those bushes? Surely fate could not be that harsh, right?

The shuffling intensified tenfold and Sam's eyes narrowed to slits. Whoever or whatever was behind those bushes was obviously getting ready to attack him, but he was determined not to give in or let it win easily. No matter how much he had changed he was still a hero at heart and he was not going to go down without a fight. Just as he had made that decision a shadow leaped into the air and prepared to assault him. Sam brought his hands up ready to defend himself. The shadow aimed for his face but Sam managed to catch it into his hands and gripped it tightly as his body lost its balance. The twenty-five-year-old man landed on his back and gasped out in pain. His forest green eyes shot open as the thing in its hands started scratching and biting him. The brunet winced and gritted his teeth. Pretty soon he had managed to calm the thing in his hands down and was able to get up into a sitting position. The dark-haired man sighed and scratched the cat's ear. It meowed and after a few seconds was let free from Sam's tight grasp.

After a few minutes the animal had disappeared into the night and Sam Alexander still could not believe that he had been frightened and assaulted by a cat. Seriously?! He was or rather had been a super hero and had faced so many menacing criminals and super villains and now what did he have to take pride in – that he had been scared by a cat. Now that was quite embarrassing and Sam made a mental note not to mention it to anyone. He made sure just in case that no one had witnessed the little display of 'cat in distress' situation and sighed in relief once he had concluded that there was no one else in the park besides him.

Suddenly a yawn made its way out of Sam's body or rather forced itself out of it. The brunet grunted but he gave in. Apparently exhaustion had decided to make itself known and was not going to let Sam win this time. The green-eyed man sighed and stretched out his hands. He then looked at his wristwatch and his eyes widened for the briefest of moments. It was 5 in the morning which meant he would not get sleep this night as well. Sam did not know if it was for better or for worse but surely he could survive 48 hours of sleep deprivation, couldn't he?

The brunet went through all the tough and life threatening situations he had been in and came to the conclusion that compared to being stuck between a crocodile's teeth and Ava's claws and weariness due to lack of sleep, the latter seemed a lot easier to cope with. Sam smiled at that thought and grunted for having mentioned that girl again. He made a mental note to stay away from memories involving any members of that team. He had to do it in order to stay sane but some did say that sanity was overrated. Perhaps being crazy had its advantages. Sam shook his head trying to get rid of these strange thoughts and decided to go home and take a shower.

The dark-haired man quickly walked the rest of the way to his apartment. Once he was in front of his apartment building the twenty-five-year-old searched through his pockets for his keys. After a few profanities and blood nearly boiling thrice, he found his keys. Sam fished them out of his right pocket and unlocked the door. He went up the stairs and reached his floor. The brunet then unlocked his apartment door and went in.

His apartment was not one of the best but there were worse places. It had a small living room connected to the kitchen, a bedroom and a bathroom. Sam nearly ran to the bathroom and took an icy cold shower trying to get rid of his hangover. Apparently he was one of the few people on earth who could not get drunk no matter how hard they tried but still had to deal with a menacing hangover. Honestly sometimes Sam thought alcohol enjoyed punishing him. It did not show its wonderful side but it granted Sam his wish – he did want to have a difference in his condition. Unfortunately, alcohol did not make a difference between beautiful bliss, which made you forget about almost everything, and irritating and almost impossible to avoid hangover.

The brunet was soon finished with his shower and went to his room to get dressed for the day. The green-eyed man groaned as he put on the restaurant's new uniform to see how it was going to look. Honestly these people were crazy! First they had made him and his colleagues wear casual clothes and an apron with the restaurant's name on it. Then it was a suit and now it reminded of a semi-suit. It lacked the coat but had an apron and a tie. Lovely! Sam thought as he buttoned up his white shirt and put the belt around his black trousers. Next in line was his tie. Oh how he loathed that thing. It reminded him of a snake and he could swear that thing had tried to make him suffocate once.

After a few minutes he had finished dressing up and was semi-satisfied with his appearance. He did not know why but he thought he did not look good in suits. Perhaps he just was not the type of person to wear those blasted thing. After that he took off the uniform and put it in his backpack. He then got dressed in casual clothes and went to his kitchen to eat breakfast.

As he was munching on a piece of bacon Sam glanced at his watch, which read 6 a.m. This meant he had enough time to eat and go to work on time. He still did not know why the restaurant opened so early but the owner of the place knew best. After all, there were few people that wanted to eat their breakfast at 7:45 or even 7:30 in the morning, however they still existed!

After fifteen minutes Sam had finished his breakfast and moved to the sink to wash the dishes. The brunet then drank his coffee and savored the bittersweet taste it had. Pretty soon he was ready to leave his apartment and head for the bus stop but something stopped him. It was the paddling of the rain. Sam moaned. It had to start raining now of all times.

The green-eyed teen made a mental note to stop by a shop and buy a now much needed umbrella. Great! Now he was going to be late for work but he did not have a choice. He could not afford to get sick right now because he had his final exams only after three weeks and he needed to study. Sam rubbed his eyes and decided to make himself another cup of coffee. After a few minutes he was losing his patience and started tapping his foot against the wooden floor. After about five minutes the man's wish was granted and the brunet drank his second cup for the day. Sam then put in the sink and washed it. He thought he should not put off washing dishes or cups anymore because last time he had done it the sight he was greeted with one morning had scared the wits out of him.

Sam cursed under his breath as he realized that the rain had turned into a torrential one. He sighed and concluded that the chances of getting wet were quite high. Despite that realization, the green-eyed man exited the apartment building and broke out into a run. Sam ran and ran as fast as he could and soon reached the closest possible shop, which sold umbrellas and was open this early in the morning. He went inside and quickly made off for the isle where the umbrellas were displayed. The brunet grabbed a black one and began to walk to the register.

His mind was at ease and even though he had not slept a wink another night, Sam's usual cheeriness and light-hearted behavior had managed to come to life. He smirked as he thought of all the jokes and fun he was going to have with Nicholas today. Nick was actually the only person Sam could afford to act like he normally did, but the sad part was that even with him the brunet could not be completely open and be himself. He had made a promise not to let anyone near his heart again and was doing a great job at keeping it. After all, to him having any kind of relationship with people was just a waste of time. It required trust and courage to risk your heart, which Sam now lacked. He could not afford to get hurt again. He could not allow something like that to happen to him again.

Sam shook his head and soon managed to smile. The brunet decided to focus on what he was going to have to do today. He had the morning shift at the restaurant, which meant that he would only have to work there until noon or one p.m. if some of his colleagues were late for their shift. Then he had to get some sleep and go to the other place he worked on Friday night and during the weekends. The green-eyed man sighed as he realized he was only going to get around five or six hours of sleep at best but they were going to have to do.

With newly found determination to last a few more hours without sleep Sam went to the register and waited for the woman to tell him how much it was going to cost. The brunet then paid her the amount of money the umbrella cost. She accepted the money with a smile, which he mirrored, however it was a fake one.

"Thank you. Have a nice day." She said and her smile grew.

"You too." Sam replied and was just about to exit the shop when an all too familiar voice asked a question he dreaded to hear:

"Sam, i-is that you?"

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Ultimate Spider-man. **

**A/N: Okay, I want to clarify a few things:**

**I do not know how long this story is going to be. It's probably going to be at least a few chapters long.**

**This was more an introduction rather than a chapter, but you decide what to call it.**

**English is not my mother tongue so please do not expect impeccable stories from me. **

**This is going to be an AU story and Sam might be OOC in his thoughts.**

**School is really hard this year and I suspect is going to become even more difficult so please do not expect extremely fast updates. **

**Please review. Constructive criticism is welcomed.**

**Also please tell me if you want me to continue this story. It's still rough around the edges so I want to know if there are people who actually like this. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

_Rain_

Sam froze in place. His eyes widened and his breath hitched. He could not believe it. He didn't know how or when life had started hating him this much, but this was just too much. He needed to get away from there. He knew what he was about to do was what only a coward would, but Sam was also aware of what might happen if he stayed. He would probably lash out on the person, who had just called his name for the third time, and would act like a complete jerk and that was something he did not want. That was why the former superhero quickly opened the door and closed it and broke into a run. Sam swore he heard that voice shout his name many times and try to catch up with him, but high heels were definitely not created for running so that was why Sam was able to escape the clutches of the ghost of his past.

Sam ran as fast as he could and kept the same speed if not a faster one, throughout his run. He knew he had lost her but he needed to get as far away from that shop as possible. That was why Sam decided to go to the one place in this godforsaken town that could actually ease his mind and the conflicting emotions his heart always had to endure. After a few minutes of running Sam reached the park. It was quite small and didn't have any exotic flowers or any of the like but it was still a nice place to go to and think or simply take a walk and breathe in some fresh air. And the latter was what the former superhero was desperately craving for and needed. The twenty-five-year-old man sat on a bench and closed his eyes. He breathed in the aroma of the roses that surrounded him and let himself get immersed in it. There was no doubt that their fragrance was quite mesmerizing and powerful. It had a good effect on Sam's nerves. It helped him relax and he was grateful for it. Just when he thought he would be able to go to work for he had managed to calm down that voice came back again only this time it was right in front of him.

" Sam, why in God's name did you run away?" The woman asked while trying to regain her breath.

The green-eyed man cursed under his breath but she heard it and seemed quite annoyed by his bad habit. She seemed eager to lecture him about it but fought the urge to do so. It appeared she had won for she was quite calm despite the fact that she had been running all the way from the shop to here. Sam dismissed his mild concern for her and questioned the reason why it was even there. He knew he shouldn't be angry at her for another man's decisions but she was partially at fault as well, right? The former superhero shook his head, trying to rid himself of these inappropriate and most of all unfair thoughts. He knew he was wrong so why was he so intent on blaming her for Parker's decisions. After some struggling with his irritating stubbornness, Sam managed to clear his head and focus his attention on the woman before him.

"Because I see no point in talking to you." Sam answered simply and mentally slapped himself for sounding so rude. He wanted to avoid this conversation. He wanted to erase his past completely, but then why, why was she here and more importantly why was he talking to her in the first place? He could've just run away like he had previously done, but knew that she would probably find him anyway.

Speaking of the woman, she appeared slightly offended by his tone, but the hurt in her eyes diminished as quickly as it had come. Apparently she was used to Sam's behavior. Instead of telling him off for sounding so distant and most of all so rude, she moved to sit on the bench next to Sam. The latter instinctively moved away but his body hit the metal part of the bench and Sam cursed yet again. He grunted in disapproval. What the hell was wrong with him? Although he wasn't a morning person, he had never used profanities this much. He then noted how stressful the situation was and blamed his behavior on the painful memories the person next to him stirred within him only by being here. Sam sighed and decided to end this as quickly as possible. He still needed to go to the restaurant.

_Strange. When did it stop raining__?_

The former superhero was about to question the stupid weather again and its sudden changes, when a voice brought him back to earth again.

"You know you're acting like an ass, don't you, Sam?"

Sam scoffed at the idiotic statement and decided to counter it much like he had done many times in the past.

"You know, goody-two-shoes aren't supposed to know insulting words like 'ass', not to mention use them, don't you, Ava?"

The dark-haired woman rolled her eyes at his antics but huffed, nonetheless. Sam was enjoying the display before him. Watching the inner battle play out in her eyes was something that always amused him. Even years ago Ava did the same thing whenever he had managed to shut her up. It was quite funny to witness the clash of the burning need to utter a reply and the reminder that this wasn't the reason why she had come here. Apparently the latter won, which upset a small part of Sam, but, of course, he ignored it.

"I'm not the same anymore, Sam." Ava replied, "Neither is Peter."

Sam's eyes narrowed at the mention of the man's name. And hearing it roll off Ava's tongue so perfectly, as though she had used it many times throughout the past seven years, wasn't helping his aching heart. It doubled it even. The small stitches with which Sam had tried to mend his wounds were starting to disappear, leaving him completely defenseless. He wanted to claw his eyes out for letting the mere mention of his name make him feel so vulnerable; so wide open for attacks; attacks that were probably going to make his broken heart bleed again. It wasn't enough that she had taken him away from Sam, she needed to hurt him even more and for what? That was what Sam didn't know and couldn't figure out no matter how hard he tried. The former superhero didn't know why she was here. He couldn't understand the need to come all the way here. Sam had moved away and had come to this small town specifically because he was convinced the ambitious Ava would never wish to visit let alone live here. And the same went for Peter. So much for being convinced it would never happen. Sam wanted to kick himself a thousand times for allowing himself to be completely certain no one would be able to find him here and destroying every last seed of doubt in his mind.

Ava sat there silent. She watched how emotions changed in Sam's eyes. She could swear she saw accusation and guilt somewhere in those green pools but quickly dismissed those thoughts. The thing that worried her the most was the fact that most of all anger could be read on Sam's face. She didn't know why, however. Ava was utterly oblivious that she was the reason for Sam's distress. Ava, who was so perceptive, was left with stupid assumptions that perhaps his foul mood wasn't due to her rather than to something related to his current life. A stab of pain hit her heart. She finally started to welcome her old feelings, which she had managed to bury deep down. The woman didn't know why but she suddenly felt extremely nostalgic. Old memories were brought back. Moments of when the team was still together and Sam were his old self. Ava would never admit it aloud, but she felt it was safe to say it in her thoughts – a part of her died the day Sam Alexander had died or at least that was what everyone thought.

"I think I should leave." Sam whispered and started getting up when that same voice stabbed his heart again. This time only guilt was present in his eyes, though Ava couldn't see them.

"Why are you doing this, Sam?" Ava asked. There was no pain in her voice; no confusion; no bewilderment; no disappointment; no anger. That was what scared Sam the most because no matter how collected and calm the dark-haired woman was, there was always something present in her voice, no matter how small it was. But now….. now her voice was so cold, so distant, as though it wasn't her asking the question but Sam's conscience.

"I honestly don't know." With that Sam left her alone in that park, disappearing the way he had appeared – like a ghost.

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Ultimate-Spiderman. No one expected that, right****? ****Yeah right. Now on with the author's note. **

**A/N: I apologize for the chapter's shortness. It just felt right to end it that way. Also I'm going to give you little pieces of the past. I feel it right to be that way because what story is interesting when there's no suspense****? **

**I'm also sorry for making them so OOC. I know that Sam isn't so serious but considering that he is twenty-five some of his childish behavior should've disappeared over the years, don't you think****? **

**I also want to thank everyone who reviewed. I hope you're not too disappointed with this chapter. A huge thank you to those who favourited and followed the story. I also want to thank everyone who read. **

**Until next time I update and/or post a story, my fellow readers.**

_~ QueenofRhymes ~ _


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

_Rain_

Ava sighed as she watched Sam go, not bothering to even say goodbye, as though they were just mere strangers or at best – distant acquaintances. The dark-haired woman closed her eyes and mentally slapped herself for allowing the rain to soak her. She was soaked to the bone and knew that she would wake up with a cold tomorrow. After waiting fifteen minutes to see if Sam would come back, she got up and started walking home. Apparently today she wasn't going to work.

While she was walking to her apartment, Ava started thinking about her encounter with Sam. Sadness and confusion clouded her eyes. Even though they were never extremely close, she was still his friend as he was hers or rather had been. That was the reason why she couldn't understand his behavior. It was true that Sam could be blunt, perhaps even rude at times but the latter side showed its ugly head very rarely. Another thing that bewildered her was how cold he had acted. Ava could never picture the fiery and outspoken Sam being so uncivil, so distant, so…. unlike himself. And that was when her mind asked a question that made shivers go down her spine – what happened to you, Sam?

Ava no longer questioned the reasons he had to leave or rather abandon them. Other unanswered questions were now plaguing her mind. One, of course, stood out among the rest.

_What managed to break you, Sam__?_

That was when Ava gasped as a single tear fell down her face. She couldn't figure out why but she could feel a small part of her heart shatter at the thought that they were never going to get their old friend back. Yet another small part of her was relieved. After all, he had been missing for so long she and Peter started thinking he was dead. And now when she saw him living and breathing and alright (physically that is), a small glimmer of hope shined in her brown her eyes. The reason for it was the fact that there was still hope for Sam. And she knew that if Sam agreed to meet her and Peter, then there could be a chance for him to become the man he once was – happy, cheerful, annoying in a good way. He would once again joke around with Peter and irritate her to no end. At that thought sadness clouded her eyes once again. How was she going to tell him about what happened to Danny and Luke?

The rain suddenly turned into a torrential one once again. Ava gasped as the icy drops hit her like bullets. Her already soaked clothes stuck to her skin even more and made her start shivering profusely. That was why Ava broke out into a run. Her high heels weren't that comfortable but she had no other choice. She didn't want to freeze to death. Pretty soon she was in front of her apartment building. The dark-haired woman fished out her keys and unlocked the door. She then went to the lift and clicked the button on which number fifteen was written. Ava closed her eyes and sighed.

After a few good minutes of listening to annoying elevator music, Ava reached her floor. She quickly exited the small lift and walked to her apartment building. She was just about to unlock the door when it burst open and a worried Peter stood in front of her. Judging by his disheveled appearance he was late for work once again. Honestly, she didn't know how he had graduated in the first place considering how distracted he got and the bad habit of sleeping in every single morning he had developed over the years. Ava smiled at him when his worried yet confused eyes met hers.

"What are you doing here?" He asked quite surprised to see her here when she was supposed to be at work. After all it was 8 a.m. in the morning.

"The question is what are you doing here, Peter? Weren't you supposed to be at the office?" Ava questioned and judging by the sheepish grin he gave her, her assumptions were indeed correct. He had overslept once again. The dark-haired woman sighed and decided that she should talk to him about Sam. After all, out of everyone he had been the one closest to him. A pang of guilt hit her heart at that reminder but she put it aside. This wasn't the time to blame herself. There were other matters to attend to.

"I think you should take a shower and change you clothes unless you want to get sick, of course." Peter pointed out as a matter-of-factly. Ava just rolled her eyes and stepped past him, taking his hand and dragging him inside her apartment. Peter yelped, but complied, nonetheless, for he had sensed her distress. The blue-eyed man knew something was off with her and he would be damned if he didn't find out what.

Peter was sitting on Ava's couch as he waited for her to finish taking a shower and get dressed. After a few minutes she entered the living room and sat down on the sofa next to Peter. The former team leader wrapped his arm around her and she leaned her head on his shoulder. The small gesture was quite comforting, but it didn't manage to calm her down much. Ava bit her bottom lip as she braced herself for what was to come. After all, what she was about to say was going to tear open wounds Peter thought had disappeared, but Ava was aware of their existence.

"I saw Sam today."

Peter's hand around her shoulders went rigid. He froze and his muscles tensed. Ava got up into a sitting position and looked him in the eye. She was afraid that her suspicions might be correct, which they were. A storm could be read in Peter's previously happy blue eyes. His jaw was clenched and body was like that of a statue. He didn't move, didn't even blink. He just sat there silent and motionless. Minutes passed and yet Ava saw no signs that the information had sunk in. She began to get worried and was about to reach out a hand and touch one of Peter's when he spoke.

"When?"

Ava was confused. She was just about say that she had mentioned the answer to that question, but Peter cut her off:

"When exactly?"

"You mean what time?" Ava almost whispered. She was getting slightly afraid for Peter's tone had become as cold as ice. His eyes were a darker shade of blue, clearly still trying to process that one simple sentence that shot a thousand bullets through his heart.

"Quarter past seven but I chased him for fifteen minutes. Then I"

"I don't care about the details. I mean why should I? He was the one that left m- I-I mean us…" Peter cut her off again and stood up abruptly a few seconds after. Ava was caught off guard by his sudden actions. He seemed like a whole other person when Sam was mentioned, but now…now he was completely different. Peter resembled a person whose heart got broken by someone and when the culprit was mentioned his heart shattered into a million more pieces. And though a part of Ava knew why, the other more rational one told her it was ludicrous to think that way. There was no way in hell Peter and Sam had had a relationship, right?

"I need to get some air." Peter said in a monotonous tone and started walking to the door. Ava shot her hand out and tried to grab his but he caught her wrist instead. Peter looked her in the eyes and the seriousness his gaze showed told her that it was a bad idea to try and stop him. Although she was hurt and offended by his withdrawn behavior and cold exterior, Ava knew him and understood that right now he needed to take a walk and clear his head or process the remnants of the information. That was why she nodded and he let go of her hand quite roughly. Peter then exited the apartment and closed the door with a loud thud, leaving a hurt and dubious Ava behind.

Peter walked, not caring that the rain was soaking his clothes. He needed to get as far away from that woman as possible. The former superhero didn't know why he was blaming her for ruining his day. He knew he should be doing anything but that, but a part of him pointed out solid reasons for his behavior. Peter remembered they way their relationship had begun and just recalling how the events had occurred, made him feel like the world's biggest jackass. And till this day Peter couldn't help but ask himself why. Why had he let him go? And then another question he loathed followed – what if he had never let him go? Would his life be completely different? Hell! Would he be engaged to Sam and not Ava? Would Danny and Luke still be here to witness everything? What would've happened to Ava?

The questions started giving him a headache and he decided to dismiss them. Peter knew perfectly that the past couldn't be changed so why was he wasting his time picturing different scenarios of the way his life could've developed had he had the guts to confess sooner and done things differently. Sam was just a ghost of his past. He left him without giving proper reasons. He only asked if Peter would agree to it and didn't answer any of Peter's questions. So why was he back now? After so many years why had he chosen to come back from the dead right now? Couldn't he have stayed dead? Couldn't he have stayed in his past? Couldn't he stay the way he was – just a small part of Peter's past? Obviously the answer was negative to almost all of these questions.

Peter started to develop a splitting headache. The former team leader moaned and started massaging his temples but to no avail. A groan escaped his lips as he stopped his attempts to relieve his pain. Peter slowed his pace and decided to focus his attention on something else. His eyes landed on a restaurant near the park. Peter found the small building quite interesting and decided to check it out. That was what he did.

The blue-eyed man entered the restaurant and was soon lead to table for two. Peter sat on it and started looking through a menu. After about five minutes an all too familiar voice asked:

"Would you like to order, sir?"

Peter's hands clenched the poor menu as he wracked his brain for ways he could escape the awkward situation, which would surely follow shortly. But to his dismay, he found none. What was he going to do?

Peter was getting more and more nervous and the fact that Sam's deep baritone voice kept asking him whether he was alright wasn't helping. After a good five minutes of successful hiding behind a menu, his cover was destroyed for Sam had obviously become annoyed with talking to a menu.

"Sir, are you absolutely certain nothing is wrong?" Sam asked for the umpteenth time in the past five minutes while circling the table and going to where the person was sitting. He could swear he saw light brown hair duck further into the menu and though it was quite amusing to see a grown man do something a five-year-old would, Sam had a job to do and he wasn't going to spend his whole shift trying to get an answer out of this man.

"Sir, please if you need water or anything, then say so for I can't, nor can any other person here, read your mind." Sam said, though the edge of his voice could be detected. He was getting irritated now and he was sure he was going to snap any time soon. People say that patience is a virtue, but patience be damned, this man was getting on Sam's last nerve. The former superhero was just about to peek behind the menu and see if this person really was alright when a voice he knew all too well said:

"Unless you want to make a scene, I suggest you stop where you are."

Sam stopped dead in his tracks. Thousands of questions ran through his head, but Sam managed to stop them and focus his attention on Peter.

"First Ava and now you." Sam grunted. "Today must be my lucky day."

"Likewise." Peter said through gritted teeth.

Sam sighed and resisted the urge to rub his temples. He still didn't know why his headache had intensified. He had taken precautions against his stupid hangover, but apparently Peter's arrival had reawakened it. The green-eyed man closed his eyes and reopened them. Sam looked around and noticed that people had already started watching their little exchange of hostility. Obviously some were rather nosy, but not all of them. The former superhero sighed in relief as he concluded that not everyone's attention had been attracted. He then devised a plan, which was going to get both of them out of the room quite quickly. He smirked once an image of an angry Peter crossed his head, but his former friend left him no choice.

" I'll go get you some water, sir." Sam said and with that went inside the kitchen. Peter didn't have enough time to react to anything because what followed happened so fast the former leader barely had any time to register half of it. In only a few seconds Sam had come back, pretended to have slipped, splashed the ice cold liquid on Peter's shirt and had dragged him to the locker room, saying he was going to give him a spare shirt in exchange for ruining his. It did give them privacy, but it also resulted in making Peter's blood boil.

"Did you really have to do it?" Peter grunted as he took off his shirt and changed into Sam's. It was strange how well it fit him. Peter let his mind wander for a bit back to when they were still teenager and the fact that Sam was slimmer than him. The former team leader wondered how and when Sam had become even bulkier than Peter, but the blue-eyed man dismissed these stupid and uncalled for thoughts. He lightly cursed for allowing his musings to enter a forbidden room which was filled with admiration for Sam's muscled form.

_Where the hell did that come from__?! _

Peter thought he had got over his first love, but apparently a small part of him was still attracted to him. The former superhero took comfort in the fact that it was only admiration and nothing more. At least he hoped their meeting wouldn't stir something else.

"You ready yet?" Sam asked. He resisted the urge to address Peter the way he had had before. But one thing was for sure – Spiderman or not, Peter Parker was always going to be a web-head. His web-head.

_Wait. Where the hell did that come from__?! _

Sam wanted to claw his eyes out. He didn't know when exactly his feelings for Peter had reappeared, but he knew that now wasn't the time for them to reawaken. He needed to bury them deep inside his heart again or else something might happen between them. Something he was going to regret afterwards, of course.

"Yeah, I think I am." Peter answered simply.

Sam nodded his head, after having turned around, of course. The twenty-five-year-old then sat down and motioned for Peter to exit, but the latter just simply stood there. Sam was just about to question the reason why his ex-friend wasn't leaving when he was asked something that made him freeze in his spot.

"Why did you do it?"

Sam wanted to play dumb and avoid answering that mortifying question at all cost, but Peter put his hand up, meaning that if he even tried, his attempts were going to be futile. Apparently the former team leader was used to Sam's annoying habit of pretending to be clueless about the topic of the conversation and didn't have the patience or time to deal with it now.

"It's a simple question, Sam. Therefore it should require a simple answer." Peter said, getting slightly annoyed with Sam's lack of response.

"Unfortunately, in this case the answer isn't that simple, Peter." Sam replied.

Peter flinched slightly at the coldness his name was said with. He also tried to ignore the slight stab of pain the lack of his nickname caused. The former team leader sighed and moved to sit next to Sam instead. Apparently his companion didn't seem eager to discuss that particular part of their past. That was why Peter decided to try a different approach.

"Remember the time when Fury finally gave in and gave us a day off."

Sam furrowed his eyebrows, trying to remember the exact time that had happened. After a few seconds his green eyes lit up and a small smile graced his lips.

"You mean the time when we endangered New York yet again because of your stupidity?"

Peter growled internally and countered: "It wasn't entirely my fault. You helped get the sand creep to the city, too."

"Sand creep? Really, Parker? Sand creep?" Sam questioned an amused grin on his face.

Peter smirked and nodded.

"I thought you'd like the nickname. After all, you do love giving people nicknames."

"True." Sam confirmed. He chuckled, knowing that Peter was referring to his own nickname with the last sentence. After all, he didn't really give everyone nicknames.

Peter chuckled as well and an amused grin appeared on his face as well. They laughed a bit more but soon Peter said:

"But no. I don't mean that disastrous vacation. I meant the one that was actually successful. Fury allowed us to go to aunt May's friend's villa to celebrate out graduation."

Sam furrowed his eyebrows again and couldn't help but freeze in his spot. Peter noticed it and immediately regretted bringing this up, but if Sam didn't like the direct approach, then the indirect one was bound to follow and it seemed to have worked. Sweat formed on the former superhero's forehead, but he brushed it away with the sleeve of his shirt. Peter just sat there and waited for Sam to say something in return.

After a good fifteen minutes of utter silence Peter couldn't take it anymore. He cleared his throat and it apparently attracted Sam's attention.

"I take it you do know what I'm referring to."

Sam cast his eyes downward and allowed his bangs to shield his eyes, which were now filled with guilt, pain and fear, but thankfully Peter could see neither. Despite his mixed feelings, Sam nodded.

"Sam what happened there?" Peter asked.

Sam almost lost it. He wasn't able to take it any longer so that was why he stood up abruptly, making Peter yelp in surprise. The former team leader watched his ex-friend pace around the small locker room. Peter felt pity for Sam and wanted to help him, but seeing as his former team member wasn't answering anything and didn't want to comply with his wish to talk about it, Peter couldn't do anything to fulfill it. After all, you couldn't force someone to talk about something so painful without resorting to desperate measures, but Peter wasn't that desperate yet.

"I-I…..I can't…" Sam started but he choked. Peter's eyes widened at how broken the man before him sounded. The former team leader stood up and walked towards Sam to try and embrace him, but the green-eyed man put his hands up. Peter got the message and stepped away. He let Sam exit the room and walk away. It was true that Peter wanted answers, but no matter how badly he wanted them, he would never hurt Sam in order to get them.

After that Peter left the room himself. He walked to his apartment, not bothering to buy an umbrella. He just let the rain wash away part of his confusion and frustration. After a good twenty minutes of getting soaked, Peter reached his apartment building. He entered it and went to the elevator. It soon arrived at his floor. Peter then went to his apartment door and unlocked it. He went in and took off his clothes immediately. He then took a hot shower and let the water heal his aching muscles. The former superhero was soon finished with it. After that he went to his room and got dressed in casual clothes. Peter soon found himself in front of his TV, flicking through the channels aimlessly. Throughout his search for something to watch a smirk appeared on his lips. A small thought had caused it. The one to blame for his satisfied smirk was the fact that he hadn't let Sam get away that easily. When his ex-friend had walked past him, Peter had slipped a small piece of paper in one of Sam's pockets. Now all he had to do was wait.

**A huge thank you to everyone who reviewed, followed, favourited and most of all – read.**

**I hope you enjoyed the previous chapters and this one as well. Think of this one as an apology for giving you such a short second chapter and as a reward for being so patient with me. **

**IMPORTANT NEWS: I'm afraid I won't be able to update soon. I have a lot of exams coming up and most of my time will revolve around studying. I can't say for certain when updates are going to be renewed. I hope you will be patient enough to wait. Thank you for taking your time to read. You don't know how much it means to me. **

**Until next time I update and/or post a story, my fellow readers.**

_~ QueenofRhymes ~_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

_Rain_

Sam went to the bathroom connected to the locker room. He quickly walked to the sink and turned the water on. He splashed his face a few times. The former hero winced slightly when the ice cold liquid went into his eyes. Sam cursed under his breath and sighed. It seemed as though things were going from bad to worse and this day was going to be one of his worst. He couldn't believe that he had encountered both Ava and Peter all in one stupid morning. The only thing that kept him going right now was the fact that his shift was about to end. He had only one hour left and after that he was going to sleep off every last bit of this blasted morning. Of course, fate decided to throw another surprise into his face. Just when Sam had managed to calm down someone else entered the bathroom. The former superhero gasped slightly and nearly yelped when he was enveloped into a bear hug. Sam narrowed his eyes when he heard the person behind him start chuckling.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Sam asked through gritted teeth. When the laughter increased, his glare intensified. Sam tried to get out of the other person's grip, but his struggles and attempts were futile. Pretty soon he sighed and started chuckling himself. Unbelievable! Nick was….Nick was…just unbelievable.

"You're unbelievable." Sam said through chuckles once he had made sure his friend's laughter had ceased.

"Why?" Nick asked confused beyond words.

Sam rolled his eyes at the question and just waited for his dense friend to let him go. After a few seconds of inaction from Nick, Sam rolled his eyes once more, this time in irritation. The former superhero decided to give Nicholas another chance but knowing how oblivious to the uncomfortable and awkward situations Nick was, it was going to take a while for him to realize how strange their position was. After a good five minutes of being enveloped in a bear hug Sam had enough.

"Nick!"

"What?" Nick questioned again perplexed.

Sam, of course, rolled his eyes yet again and gestured with his hands (or rather the part of them, which was free to move) how uncomfortable his position was. Nick was again bewildered at first but soon understood what his friend wanted and complied. He smirked when he noticed the scowl Sam was wearing. Looks like his plan had worked after all.

"What was that for?" Sam asked clearly still annoyed.

"What was what for?" Nick asked earning him a friendly glare from Sam, which soon transformed into an amused smirk.

"You did it all on purpose, didn't you?" Sam asked still wearing that amused grin on his face.

"I did what on purpose?" Nick questioned batting his eyelashes like a confused schoolgirl. That action made Sam start laughing. His friend truly was something. After the former superhero had managed to calm down, he smiled at his friend.

"Thanks Nick."

"Why are you thanking me?" Nick asked this time quite serious. Of course, his tone and serious look betrayed him when Sam gave him an exasperated look. The twenty-three-year-old tilted his head to the side, trying to imitate a schoolgirl again. This time, however, Sam rolled his eyes and muttered something incoherent.

"What was that?" Nick asked and put his hand near one of his ears in a mock fashion. Sam put a hand on his forehead and answered:

"I said stop acting so childishly."

"Look who's talking." Nick countered which earned him a small glare from Sam.

"As far as I remember I'm the older one." Sam said which earned him a roll of the eyes from Nick and a disappointed look.

"Really Sam? Maturity isn't determined by age. I thought you knew this. After all, you were the wise guy that came up with that statement."

Sam's mouth fell slightly open. He tried to say something. He desperately wanted to come up with something witty to reply with but he had nothing. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this was his friend Nicholas, often referred to as Nick - the strangest and most eccentric person ever to walk this planet.

"Stop it."

"Stop what? Being smarter than you?" Nick asked and smirked afterwards.

"Yes!" Sam responded and once he saw the twitching of Nick's mouth, he realized what he had said, "N-no, I mean, hell no! Stop being such a smartass is what I requested."

Nick managed to contain his laughter and resorted to small chuckles, which soon subsided. He then put a finger on his chin and tapped it for a few seconds, making Sam's blood boil. His green eyes then fell to his companion and met his gaze. The twenty-three-year-old smirked and said:

"Why would I? After all, it seems to be doing wonders to your face. I think the few wrinkles that will soon appear from all the glaring and scowling will be able to give some dimwits the impression that you really are mature. Until you open your mouth that is."

Nick dodged a splash of water that was aimed for his face.

"Really Sam? Splashing me with water?" Nick asked while smirking as Sam threw another splash of water but missed yet again. The younger of the two's amused grin grew even more for Sam had shot him another death glare. He then attempted to shoot his friend with the icy cold liquid a few more times, but failed miserably. Nick was far too good when it came to avoiding things thrown at him that included the splashes with water, of course.

"Hold still." Sam said through gritted teeth.

"And why would I do that?" Nick asked as he dodged yet another splash.

"So I can hit you." Sam answered simply as he tried to get a hold of Nick.

The other just smirked and moved away from Sam's hands just in time. After a few minutes of chasing around the bathroom they both stopped. Sam had apparently grown tired of all the running and Nick, of course – of all the dodging and amused laughter. They were sitting next to each other in the locker room, both panting. Nick looked at his watched and his eyes widened. Sam saw the action and questioned the reason for it.

"It's almost twelve." Nick answered with slight annoyance.

Sam smirked and pumped his fists into the air. Nicholas waited for his friend to stop rejoicing at the fact that his shift had ended. It soon came to an end and Nick was grateful for it. Sam's attention was then turned to his clothes. He went to his locker and unlocked it. From it he grabbed his t-shirt and soon changed into it. His restaurant uniform was soon completely taken off and the former superhero was again in his casual clothes. Nick waited patiently for Sam to get comfortable so he could ask the question he wanted. Once Sam was sitting next to him, Nicholas cleared his throat, attracting his friend's undivided attention.

"Why were you sulking when I found you?"

Sam's eyes widened and his heart sped up for the briefest of moments, but his pride soon kicked in and he answered:

"I wasn't sulking."

Nick rolled his eyes and replied:

"No, you resembled a lost puppy that had been kicked in the gut far too many times."

Sam looked down his bangs covering his eyes, but Nicholas sensed that his harshness and the question itself had hit a soft spot. The youngster cursed under his breath and closed his eyes. He knew he had to keep his cool or else he was going to make Sam's day even worse and he knew that was the last thing his friend needed right now.

After a good fifteen minutes of utter silence, Nick sighed and said:

"Listen, I'm sorry for pushing you. If you don't want to talk about it, it's fine."

Sam listened to his friend and a grateful smile broke onto his face. He then looked up and met his friend's gaze.

"Right now I don't think I'll say anything coherent. Thanks for understanding." Sam said.

"Anytime. But is it something you can't handle?"

"Nick." Sam warned him but when he saw the worry and concern in his friend's eyes, he sighed and added, "Let's just say I met people I thought I'd never encounter again."

Nick immediately understood what Sam meant with those words and his worry soon disappeared. He then smiled and said goodbye to his friend. The green-eyed man soon changed into his uniform and went to exit the locker room, thinking:

_I hope you really are alright, Sam. Lord knows you don't need to encounter those bastards, who dared call themselves your friends, ever again._

**!*!*!* ~ **_QueenofRhymes ___***!*!*!**

Ava knocked on Peter's door and waited for her fiancé to come and open it. After five minutes of waiting and constant shuffling on the other side the door was opened. Peter smiled and gave her a quick peck on the lips. He then let her in and followed after her. They sat on his couch. Peter turned the TV off and gave his fiancée his undivided attention. Once he saw the concern in her eyes he immediately understood what she was going to ask.

"Can you please come with me this time, Pete?" She was begging him, pleading and even dared use her puppy dog eyes (which meant that the situation was dire). Peter sighed and he shook his head. Ava sighed as well and said in a tone which was barely audible:

"Very well then."

After that she got up and exited his apartment, leaving Peter to drown in guilt and frustration.

**!*!*!* **___ QueenofRhymes ___** *!*!*! **

Ava walked as fast as she could. She had set her body on autopilot for her thoughts were far too complicated and yearned for her attention, which they, of course, received. A sigh escaped her lips as she neared the old hospital. She couldn't believe Peter had said no yet again. She still didn't understand why. Even after all these years, even after asking for her hand and receiving it, he still didn't trust her enough; at least not when it came to this issue or when Sam was mentioned.

Ava's fists were clenched and unclenched several times at the mention of the man's name. She didn't know why but she couldn't help but feel endangered. Even though she was certain these had never had a relationship, she was well aware of the feelings Peter harbored for Sam seven years ago. The thing that bothered her the most was the fact that she didn't know to what extent her fiancé had then fallen for Sam; the other thing she desperately needed to know was if Peter still felt something for Sam which went beyond the normal concern and care a person has for a friend. The woman shook her head. She knew she needn't be doubtful. Peter was with her. Peter loved her. Peter was engaged to her; not Sam.

_I really shouldn't be worried. After all, Sam didn't reciprocate his feelings back then. Why would he feel anything for my Pete now__? _

That conclusion made Ava smile as she entered the hospital. She went to the nurse and requested a permission to enter a certain patient's room. After said person had given a positive answer, Ava bid the nurse goodbye and went to the elevator. She waited for a few short moments until the lift reached the second floor. Once the metal doors opened the woman exited the elevator and started walking. She examined the room numbers and smiled satisfied that she had finally reached his room. She knocked and when a small 'come in' was uttered on the other side of the door, Ava opened the door and smiled. Her warm smile was mirrored by the person in the bed.

"Hi." She said.

"Hey." He replied.

Ava then moved to his bed and hugged him tightly. He returned her embrace just as affectionately. He then let go and she stepped back. Ava sat on a chair and asked:

"How are you feeling today?"

"The same as yesterday." He answered truthfully.

Ava's heart fell but her smile never faltered. She remembered that there was always hope and she was going to believe in miracles until one happened to her dearest friend as well.

"Have you made any progress?" She questioned.

"No." He replied simply.

Ava's smile disappeared and her beautiful dark eyes were clouded with sadness. She fought the urge to cry. She hated how weak and emotional she became sometimes but it had been three years since the terrible and accident and yet no one had got better. Her heart broke every time she heard her once lively and cheerful friend speak in such a monotonous and raspy voice. She despised how distant he was. His body was here with her, yes, but his soul and mind – they had already given up any hope – and were sick and tired of being chained to a bed. She also resented how distant he was with her. At first he had welcomed her with arms wide open; he had always smiled at her; he had always gazed at her with so much care and so much warmth and now….now he was just a hollow shell with nothing inside. He was just one of the many people here who wanted and waited their end to come but that was something he was never going to get. The reason for that was because his condition wasn't something extremely terrible. He could live with it but he didn't want to. He needed death because he couldn't survive being tied to a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Yes, he could live with it. He just didn't want to.

Ava put a hand on his and by some miracle she felt him squeeze it. A silent tear fell down her face, which was soon brushed away with his thumb. His empty eyes were too much to handle. His cold hands along with his hollow eyes were the last straw. That was what triggered her emotional breakdown. Because of the hopelessness of the situation; because of the pain and anguish; because of all the frustration she broke down. Yes, she Ava Ayala – the always calm and collected lawyer, who was known for being cold and immune to any kind of negative emotion – broke down into tears. And the worst part was that the man she loved couldn't comfort her the way she wanted to.

Just as that thought ran through her head she tried to stop her sobs but to no avail. All she could do was choke and cry even harder and soak the poor patient's shirt, which, of course, he didn't mind. He just waited patiently for her to calm down and embraced her tighter when her body started shaking vigorously. He sighed into her hair and said:

"I didn't know you were that worried about me."

"I-I'm not worried." She managed to reply between sobs.

He just smiled and said:

"Of course, you aren't."

**!*!*!* **___QueenofRhymes___***!*!*!**

Sam woke up and found out that sleep indeed was the cure he needed. His pent up emotions had decided to leave him alone for he now felt lighter than ever. The former superhero smirked and got up abruptly. He tested his head and smiled in triumph when he realized that his hangover was, in fact, gone. The man then went to his kitchen and made himself lunch. He then looked at his wall clock and gasped. He had only thirty minutes to get ready for his second job. Sam Alexander might be a lot of things but he wasn't a person who would get fired only because some ghosts of his past decided to show up and fuck his morning completely. He dashed to his room and quickly changed from his pajamas to the club's uniform (yes, even that had a uniform. Lovely.).

_At least this one doesn't have a tie. _

Just as Sam looked at the reflection in his mirror and was semi-satisfied with his appearance, he saw a small piece of paper on the floor of his bedroom. Curiosity overtook him and he went to check it out. Once his green eyes saw what was written on it only one thought ran through his head.

_Damn it, Web-head!_

**I want to thank:**

TheGirlInTheBack

**TheOnyxDragon12**

**Sora**

**Empress and Protector**

**for reviewing.**

**I want to say thanks for pointing out my annoying habit of using one's features a lot. I'm glad you like the story. Also the reason why I updated: I managed to study today and managed to finish an hour or two earlier than I anticipated so I decided to try and write something and this came out. **

**A huge thank you also to:**

**G.G. Robins**

**MystiqueShines**

**RiddleTMR**

**TheOnyxDragon12**

**Yuna Kei**

**letmegiveyouahug**

**nicoandleoaremine**

**t3rrorkn1ght**

**for favouriting this story. **

**A huge thank you goes also to:**

**RiddleTMR**

**TheOnyxDragon12**

**letmegiveyouahug**

**nicoandleoaremine**

**t3rrorkn1ght**

**for following. **

**And also an enormous thank you to all those of you wonderful people who have read my story. **

**Until next time I update and/or post a story, my fellow readers. **

_~ QueenofRhymes ~ _


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

_Rain_

Sam wanted to scream. He couldn't believe it. He just couldn't believe it! How could Peter Parker be so audacious? He had now idea. Perhaps this was some kind of trick. Maybe his former friend had given him a wrong number, but knowing how stubborn Spiderman could be, Sam was certain such an assumption would turn out to be false. Now that Nova knew it was true, he didn't know how to proceed. Should he grab the hand that was being offered to him or sink into the shadows once again? Should he come clean and tell his former teammates about his past or should he keep quiet about it and wait for them to give up and leave him alone? Should he become a ghost again or become part of the living? He had no idea. That was the truth. Sam was utterly confused. A part of him wanted to call Peter right away and tell him everything but that would mean facing Ava, Peter, Luke and Danny once again.

_I can't do it. I just can't. Damn it! Why am I such a coward__? __After all, I tried running away from them and yet eventually they found out. I'm sure that if I try to hide once again, in the long run my attempts will turn out to be futile. I can't escape them no matter how hard I try. _

A groan escaped his lips and he couldn't help but think. New questions started forming in his head and he could feel his headache returning. Nova cursed under his breath and dismissed anything that had to do with his troublesome past. Right now Sam had other matters to attend to and that was getting to work on time. He quickly made himself something to eat, dressed up and exited his apartment. It was Friday night after all and he could try and have some fun. But knowing himself, Sam was certain he would end up drinking himself to stupor once again.

On his way to the club it started raining. Wonderful! Rain was something that never left him alone. Unfortunately for Sam, it always brought trouble. Just as he was once again getting soaked to the bone his mind wandered back to when he was seventeen, almost eighteen; his mind went back to when it all began.

_Sam walked as fast as he could. He put his hood over his head, trying to protect himself from the torrential rain. His green eyes were glazed with worry. He couldn't believe what he was about to do and wasn't sure he would be able to bring it off. How could one person tell the people he cared about the most and who were counting on them, that they were leaving__? __What can of monster would abandon their team and loved ones when they needed them the most__? __And why you may ask__? __Because he was a selfish coward who couldn't bring himself to tell them the real reason; because he thought that this way he was protecting them; because he wanted them to keep this side of him in their memory and not the one he once was and was about to become yet again. Sam sighed and closed his eyes. He then reopened them and went inside his team leader's house. The only good thing about the whole situation was that Luke, Danny and Ava were training, while Aunt May was taking her cooking class. That meant he would be able to talk to Peter Parker in private and see if the one he held closest to his heart would be able to take it. If he didn't take it well, then Sam didn't know what he'd do. One thing was for sure, his future actions depended solely on Peter's reaction and that was one thing Nova despised. _

"_Sam!" Someone screamed. _

_Sam immediately turned around and searched his surroundings. His calculating gaze saw nothing out of the ordinary and was slightly perplexed as to why someone had felt it necessary to yell his name. That was when Sam's gaze fell on the limping form of Peter Parker. Nova's eyes widened and he quickly rushed to his friend's aid. He put one of Spiderman's arms around his shoulders and supported the weight of the other teen's body with his own. After a few minutes they made it inside. Sam put Peter on the couch and went to make some tea and get them some towels. Once he was done he went back to the living room and gave Peter his tea and towel. Both sat in awkward silence until Sam had had enough. _

"_What happened to you, Webs__?__" He asked not bothering to hide or mask the pure concern laced in his voice. _

_Peter's shoulders tensed and Sam could tell that what he was about to hear wasn't something normal. It was going to be of dire consequences. _

"_I got beaten up." Peter answered simply, which made Sam relax and sigh in relief. _

_The fact that it was just a stupid fight was great news but then all of his relief was washed away when new questions popped up inside his head and he couldn't help but voice them. _

"_Who did this to you__?__ And more importantly – why didn't you fight back__? __You're not a superhero for no reason, Web-head!" Sam was furious by the end of his sentence. He didn't know why but he couldn't help but be worried about his friend especially when his life was in danger. _

_Suddenly Sam felt uncontrollable anger rising up inside of him. His chest tightened so abruptly and so strongly that he couldn't breathe. Nova was suffocating. He couldn't believe it. He knew he had less than a month before his powers went out of control but he couldn't understand why it was happening now of all times. _

_With all of his might Sam managed to suppress the urge to blast something and pretty soon he could think straight. Once he was a hundred percent sure he wouldn't hurt Peter or anyone near him Sam spoke yet again: _

"_Listen, I…I don't know what took over me. You don't have to answer the second question, but I demand an answer to the first one."_

_At the word 'demand' Peter saw read. His blue eyes shot open and he looked at Sam with such intensity and rage Nova could swear he felt the urge to crawl under a table or something similar; anything that would protect him from a furious Peter Parker. _

"_You demand__? __YOU DEMAND__?!__" Peter yelled and his eyes bore into Sam's. The latter could only gulp and brace himself for the impact but nothing came. He thought Peter was going to punch or at the very least shove him against a wall. Alright the latter wasn't really the best thing to imagine. _

"_Those people were asking for you." Peter said in a much calmer tone. His blue eyes looked apologetically at Sam and Nova knew his friend was sorry for bursting. The statement, however, caught most of Sam's attention. And it angered him greatly. This time his self-control nearly burst. He was certain that if Peter wasn't in the room he would've destroyed something by now. _

"_They said that they wanted me to do them a favor and that was the only reason they allowed me to leave and preserve my life." _

"_Preserve your life__? __Oh, those bastards have certainly lost their minds. Don't worry, Webs, I heard their message loud and clear. Now I think it's time I gave them the much awaited answer." Sam said through gritted teeth. _

"_You don't even know what they told me, Bucket-head!" Peter cut in and his anger had returned yet again. _

_Sam rolled his eyes and scoffed. _

"_Let me guess. They said something along the lines: Tell that little wimp that if he doesn't come with us tonight, we are going to kill his teammates, starting with the girl."_

_Peter opened his mouth and tried to say something but nothing came. Sam would've laughed at the strong resemblance of a fish, but now wasn't the time. Judging by the look Peter gave him, he was right. And that was what he feared. It seemed that his time had indeed come. It was time to say goodbye. _

"_Don't worry, Webs. They're not going to bother you ever again." Sam said simply and started walking toward the door, intent on leaving. _

_A hand shot out and prevented him from exiting the house. Sam automatically glared at his friend, but sensing the concern and seeing it written all over Peter's face made it disappear. Nova sighed and let go of the door. He looked away and mumbled:_

"_You know they aren't going to hurt her. Danny and Luke are with her. She's going to be fine." _

_Sam was taken aback by Peter's bitter laugh. Nova was surprised when his team leader whispered:_

"_You're not coming back, are you__?__"_

_Sam's eyes widened and he looked away. He knew he was going to come back and tell the others about his departure and most of all take his things. He couldn't just leave his helmet and everything behind. But that question broke it to him and he realized for the first time that his decision was final and that he indeed was going to say goodbye soon. _

"_Aww, Webs. Don't be like that. For a minute there I thought you actually cared about me." Sam replied trying to lighten up the mood but his joke died completely when Peter responded: _

"_I do care, Sam. You have no idea how much I care about you. I just don't understand how you know these people. They were uncontrollable and were full of rage and… such a strong thirst for blood and desire to kill." _

_Sam shuddered at the words. He knew how those bastards looked when they had caught their prey. The hunger to end the life of another was the only thing he had witnessed when he had been living with them. Of course, he wasn't about to reveal everything of his past. He was grateful that Peter wasn't asking any questions otherwise he was sure his powers were going to go crazy once again. He was well aware of how unstable he became when they were mentioned. _

"_I will come back, Peter. But…" Sam couldn't tell him; not right now at least. He still needed to see if he could take care of those idiots on his own. If he couldn't, then he had no other choice but to go with them. _

"_Sam, promise me you won't go with them. I know they've threatened to kill us, but we can fight them off together. Alone we are easy targets, but together-" _

"_You don't understand, Parker." Sam's tone became as cold as ice with each word he spoke. The coldness and harshness sent shivers up Peter's spine. Sam then continued," These people are far too dangerous and aren't your average criminals or super villains. Trust me, I know." _

_Peter nodded but was still unconvinced. _

"_I know that and I trust your judgment. The only thing I don't understand is why they're so fixated on you." _

"_Trust me, you don't want to know." Sam replied quickly and with that he opened the door and went out into the pouring rain, intent on finding those idiots and putting an end to their chaotic presence. The only thing he wasn't aware of was how hurt Peter was when he had left him alone in that empty house. _

**A huge thank you to everyone who reviewed, favourited, followed and most of all read. I'm sorry for making you wait so long and for the slight cliffhanger. The problem is that this is all I can manage between exams. Also(since I want to complain) I was granted with a delightful cold. Now I'm sick and annoyed and that's partially the reason why I made Sam so near to explosion. Oh, and by the way, please note that this is an AU and I'm going to develop some of Sam's powers. They're going to be the same but there's going to be a slight description of what they might be if he tried to unlock all of his power, of course. **

**Until next time I update and/or post a story my fellow readers.**

_~ QueenofRhymes ~ _


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

_Rain_

_To say that Sam was furious would be an understatement. He could barely control his anger. The teen was certain that he would lose control quite soon had it not been for all those years of training with his clan. Tears welled up in his eyes but he managed to recollect himself. Sam Alexander tried to forget all those thoughts that had to deal with his past. The superhero managed to dismiss most of them and with resoluteness in his eyes he continued the rest of the walk to those bastards' hideout. _

_**There is one thing I have to remember, though – they aren't the people I grew up with. **_

_Nostalgia found its way into Sam's heart and he cursed under his breath for forming such strong bonds with these people in the past. It was true that you needed friends and people to count on but sometimes Nova wondered why we bothered building and fighting to maintain these relationships when most of them ended up in someone being hurt or getting stabbed in the back. The latter made all of his anger return and he gritted his teeth. He had to stop them. Either that or he would not have another choice but to go with them. _

"_If it isn't my worthless little bro. What happened to ya, wimpy, decided to crawl back to your mommy__?__" Akantha asked mockingly._

_Sam froze in his spot. He couldn't believe it. His heart started thumping quite violently and he could swear it was trying to escape out of his ribcage. The only thing he didn't understand was why he was still afraid of her. Oh, on the contrary, he knew exactly why she had such an effect on him – she was a monster. And despite being his sister, he would see to it she won't be alive to witness the sun rise tomorrow morning._

_Nova clenched his fists as he whispered:_

"_Why are you here, Akantha__? __What do you want from me__?__" _

"_Awww, poor wittle Sammy is scared." She mocked him yet again._

"_If I remember correctly you were the one that had fear in her eyes when we were younger." Sam countered. _

_Akantha scoffed and retorted:_

"_I'm not the same little girl anymore, Sammy, or should I say, Arestius__?__" She questioned. _

_Sam's eyes widened when he heard the name his parents had given him. Even though he hadn't heard anyone call him that in a long time, it still felt right to be addressed that way. He shook his head and stilled his beating heart. He needed to be calm and collected and get this over with as soon as possible._

"_And I'm not the little boy I was back then, either." He replied and started walking towards Akantha. The girl looked at him menacingly and adopted a battle stance. Just before their fight began Sam decided to tell her this as well in spite of the fact that it may sound cliché: _

"_And for the record my name is Sam Alexander, not Arestius. After all, that's the name my real parents gave me, the ones that raised me and turned me into the man I am today unlike the good for nothing mother and father that only created me." _

_The last sentence obviously had the desired effect and made Akantha's blood boil. Her normally icy cold blue eyes turned into furious scarlet ones as her hands clenched into fists and fire started surrounding them. _

"_You are going to regret that, __**Sam.**__" She spit his name as though it was laced with venom. Sam cringed at the hatred and loath it contained. He would lie if he said that he didn't care about his sister, but that didn't mean he was going to allow her to endanger his friends' lives. On the contrary, he was going to make sure this issue was taken care of and what better way than to do it personally._

"_Make me, Akantha." Sam taunted. He knew it was quite risky trying to make her make all fired up when she was literally all fired up, but that was a chance he had to take. Because if he could make her so angry as to start shooting balls of fire at him uncontrollably, then he would certainly be able to win this thing. _

_Akantha, unable to contain her anger any longer, screamed and started shooting fireballs at Sam. Nova dodged each one of them successfully but one nearly hit him with full force. He sucked in a breath and tried to calm himself down because if he wanted to be victorious, he had to keep his emotions under control. _

_After Akantha was finished with her first attack she screamed yet again and soon started laughing hysterically. Sam stopped moving after having landed swiftly on the ground. His green orbs held sheer horror as they watched the scene unfold before them. Nova couldn't comprehend what was happening. It was true that he had wanted his sister to lose control, but not like this. He knew what she was going to do next and was just about to say something when it was too late. Her eyes became fully red. Her orbs and the white part were completely gone. Pure blood tinted those formidable yet fascinating eyes. Her mouth hung open but soon blood started dripping from the corners of it. Sam's eyes widened even more and he couldn't take it anymore. _

"_Akantha! No, don't do this!" He screamed and was just about to rush to his sister's aid when a huge tidal wave came out of nowhere. Nova had heard the clasp of the water and was able to move out of the way in the nick of time, but, unfortunately, Akantha was numb and too far gone to sense anything or do anything to prevent herself from getting harmed in that matter. _

_Sam's eyes softened once he heard coughing and saw the water start to dissipate. At that rare moment of weakness Akantha looked almost human. She resembled the big sister that always tried to act strong and seem indestructible, but like everyone else she was vulnerable and in that small moment said vulnerability was shown. _

"_Arestius!" Someone yelled. _

_That snapped Sam out of his own world and brought him back to earth. Nova became alert and searched his surroundings once again when his eyes fell on someone he thought he would never see ever again. _

"_Ademus!" Sam yelled with the same strength and love in his voice. _

_The two brothers ran towards each other and embraced one another. It was a brief yet tight hug. With it they tried to convey everything that they hadn't had the time or opportunity to say. Their tender moment ended when someone cleared their throat. _

"_If you two idiots are done with your 'moment', can I have my revenge__?__" Akantha asked. _

_Ademus shook his head and laughed fondly at his younger sister: _

"_No, Akantha, you can't because Aresty here has a lot to learn." _

"_Hey, don't call me that! You know I hate it!" Sam said rather loudly. Ademus just laughed at his youngest sibling and ruffled his hair affectionately. Sam soon smiled and noticed that Akantha too was enjoying their rare moment of happiness. Sam's smile grew but soon he remembered what his brother had said and questioned:_

"_Ademus, what did you mean when you said I had a lot to learn__?__"_

_Sam was frightened. It couldn't be. He had kept everything under control during his fight with Akantha. Though he didn't exactly fight back, he still managed to prevent his powers from going out of hand while she didn't. Of course, there was the possibility of them actually going out of control and endangering the lives of not only his teammates, but those of the citizens as well. The only thing he had to hope for was that the answer Ademus was going to give would be negative. Of course, it was positive. _

_It was settled then. Sam was going to leave his team and go with them. _

**A huge thank you to everyone who read**

**And just to let you know – no I am not dead. **

**I was simply away and filled with exams. **

**Now it's high time I got back to Peter and Sam**

**And revealed part of the latter's past. **

**So here is chapter six at last. **

**Please follow/favourite/review/criticize/ or simply read freely. **

**Don't be afraid. I don't bite deary. **

**Until next time I update and/or post a story my fellow readers,**

_~ QueenofRhymes ~_


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

_Rain_

"_What are you waiting for, Aresty__?__" Akantha asked as she jumped on a rock. _

_Sam rolled his eyes at his sister's unusual energy and simply answered:_

"_I can't just leave." _

_Akantha scoffed and said:_

"_Sure you can."_

_After that she jumped off the rock and went next to her little brother. Sam was dubious about her actions and groaned when his suspicions had been confirmed. His sister was currently trying to drag him to their spaceship, but that wasn't going to happen. Sam was stilled to the earth and didn't even budge. After several attempts Akantha huffed and gave an exasperated sigh. _

"_Why are you so stubborn__?__" She asked. _

"_Because I am a lot like my gullible little sis."_

"_Call me gullible one more time and I'll make you regret the day you were born." _

"_Well, good luck with that."_

"_Why__?__"_

"_You've already made it hell the day you chose dad." _

"_Will you let it go__? __That was five years ago, Arestius!" _

"_I said my name is not Aresty or Arestius or anything of the like! It's Sam. My name is Sam Alexander!" Sam screamed and started panting. He then looked up and saw the fear in his sister's eyes. Even though she was the older one, sometimes he felt the surge to protect her from everything and anything in this world like an older brother would. He was about to apologize when Ademus came out of nowhere and asked: _

"_Are you two fighting again__?__" _

_Both Sam and Akantha looked away in shame, readying themselves for the upcoming scolding. Fortunately, none came. They did hear a reaction, however. It was a long and exhausted sigh one that old people give when they had to deal with problems they shouldn't be obliged to settle. Akantha looked sympathetically at her brother and motioned for Sam to go to him. Nova was reluctant at first but soon complied after being persuaded by his sister, of course, or rather threatened with being hit with a fire ball where the sun don't shine. He hadn't heeded the warning once. He wasn't going to be an idiot and not comply with his sister's wishes twice. _

_Once the three of them were sitting in a circle, Akantha asked:_

"_I suppose Father has just told you something." _

_Ademus looked into her eyes and then away. He simply nodded. Sam cringed at the sight before him. He had never before witnessed his brother having his head held down. Even when they were younger, he would always look straight at what he was about to face. He was never one to hide from a problem. Apparently what he had been given was definitely bad news. Sam could only wonder what it was. He only hoped his father hadn't died because no matter how much he disliked him and didn't approve of his ways of running the kingdom, he was still connected to him in some strange way no one, not even he and his dad could comprehend. _

"_Are Mother and Father alright__?__" Sam asked concern lacing his voice. _

_Ademus looked up with his eyes slightly widened. After a second a warm smile graced his big brother's face and Sam could only smile in return. Akantha rolled her eyes and answered Sam's question instead of her brother. _

"_No, they're both fine. Mother is hiding right now because the war has expanded its range." _

"_Don't tell me it's reached the imperial city." Sam nearly screamed. _

"_No, it is still fairly away but if we don't do something soon, it will come to our home… Sam… and it will destroy everything."_

_Sam couldn't believe it. He knew that a war was inevitable. Even though he was five when he had left his home planet, he had it engraved in his memory – the fear and despair in the eyes of the common people, the sadness in his mother's eyes, the relief in others, the happiness in those of the soldiers, the resoluteness in the eyes of his father. Sam sighed and asked:_

"_Is there anything you can do about it__? __You are a General after all. You should better than any of us what to do in order to prevent it from happening." _

_Ademus smiled fondly at his little brother's lack of grasp of the situation while Akantha face palmed. Sam laughed when his sister moaned but his serious expression returned soon when his brother replied:_

"_It doesn't matter who I am, Sam. The enemy is numerous. They are now around…." _

"_40000__?__" Sam tried to guess. _

_Akantha face palmed again while Ademus simply said:_

"_Try one million." _

_Sam gasped. That was a legendary and merciless army. He knew his father's army was quite huge. It had been around 600.000 before Sam left, but apparently it had found its match soon. He sighed as he thought of how worried and exhausted everyone was. Sam knew this war started around a year after he came to the Earth, which meant this had to be going on for about five, maybe six years. It wasn't much, but it was still long enough to exhaust both sides. A scowl formed on his face as another question came to mind. _

"_Are the fire tribes still our allies__?__" _

"_Of course, they are! What kind of question is that__?!__" Akantha asked or rather yelled. _

_Sam cringed at the loud voice. He couldn't help but tease his sister about her inconsistent behavior. _

"_Why are you so bipolar today, sis__?__" Sam questioned. _

"_None of your business." Akantha answered every word laced with as much venom as her voice could produce. _

_Sam cringed at the spiteful tone, but continued anyway. _

"_Don't tell me it's that time of the month." He said. _

_Akantha fumed. Her fists became surrounded with fire and she was ready to strike when Ademus yelled:_

"_Enough! Both of you! Our planet is being ripped apart because of a civil war and now is not the time for the other heirs to the throne to be fighting!" _

_Sam's eyes widened. No, it couldn't be. _

"_Don't tell me. You came back here not to kill me as Father said all those years ago when he banished me. You came here to seek my help." _

_Ademus simply nodded while Akantha looked at the black sky. She sighed and said:_

"_We have to get back there soon, Sam. We're giving you three hours. Come back here at midnight and we'll pick you up. If you don't, then consider yourself responsible for the fall of your home." _

_After that she started walking to where the ship was kept hidden while Ademus simply followed. He wanted to reassure his brother that it wouldn't be his fault, but he knew that it would be partially his. He also wished he could give him more time, but they couldn't afford to waste more precious time. They had already spent more than a week on Earth, trying to make him come willingly. Right now, everything depended on what Sam was going to choose. Ademus could only hope his brother would follow his duty, not his heart as selfish as it may sound. _

_Sam stood there for about an hour before losing it. He screamed. It was long and shrieking. It held all those pent up emotions he had been hiding and keeping locked. He thought he had been free. He had considered the possibility of being able to lead a normal life or at least a partially normal one. But as many things, this had to be taken away from him as well. With a heavy lump in his throat and a cage around his heart, he set out to his previous home to collect his things. Despite his love for this place; despite the bonds and friendships he had formed; despite the love he had developed towards a certain team member; in spite of all that, he was and always would be his father's son. And like one, he had to fulfill his duty and go back to his home. _

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

**Thank you wonderful people for reviewing. **

**Empress and Protector: You'll find out soon enough and thanks for reminding me of this story. :D**

**Sora: I don't think I've mentioned it but Ademus and Akantha are Original Characters. **

**TheGirlInTheBlack: Thank you. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. **

**I hope you guys liked it. Anyway….this story is getting a bit too complicated but with time I think everything is going to become clearer….I hope….yeah, hope does die last. :D **

**Until next time I update and/or post a story my fellow readers,**

_~ QueenofRhymes ~_


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